"We have no doubt he will deliver a speech of unsurpassed beauty and eloquence on Decoration Day in Brooklyn."
These are but representative quotations. The whole country was ready to applaud the speech. It was a fitting close to the first twelve years of our life of trial and probation. The sweetest praise of all came in a letter from America's great preacher, Richard S. Storrs:—
"80 Pierpont Street,
"Brooklyn, N. Y.,
"May 31, 1877.
"My dear General Pryor:—
"I have read with the very greatest satisfaction and pleasure your admirable address of last evening. I sympathize, in fullest measure, with the delighted enthusiasm with which my wife and daughter spoke of the address after hearing it last evening, and am only more sorry than before that my unlucky and imperative engagement with the Historical Society Committee and Board forbade me to enjoy the splendid eloquence of utterance which they described to me. I do not see how you could possibly have treated the theme which the occasion presented more delicately or more grandly—with a finer touch, or a more complete mastery of all its proper relations and suggestions.
"It is a great address, and must have a wide and great effect. I only wish that all the papers would give it in its full extent.
"I am faithfully and with great regard,
"Yours,
"R. S. Storrs."
This address, which has been handsomely bound by the Brooklyn committee, was followed by invitations all over the country to speak—even from the Gospel Tent. But, unhappily, honor does not fill the basket, nor warm the body, nor pay the rent, nor satisfy the tax-gatherer. It is a nice, nice thing to have,—there's no use denying it,—but I think my dear general would have given it all, every bit, for one good, remunerative law case.